How credit card debt can cost you a mortgage

More and more people are being turned down for mortgage loans in the U.S. because they have too much credit card debt, according to Home Buying Institute.

Even if people make enough money to make mortgage payments, having a lot of credit card debt can make it very hard to obtain a home loan, according to the article. In fact, how much credit card debt a person has is one of the main factors in determining if they get a loan. Down payments and credit scores are also very high on the list.

Most Americans currently have at least some debt, in one form or another, according to the article. The total amount of credit card debt in 2000 in the U.S. was approximately $680 billion. That number is expected to jump to $870 billion by the end of 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That's about $2,700 of credit card debt for every man, woman and child.

When people apply for a mortgage, the bank looks at how much money they earn each month and how much they spend to cover their debts, according to Home Buying Institute. This typically includes credit card debts, personal loans, auto loans and student loans.